Another success for the Airfryer.

NotSpaghetti

So if I were looking at an air-fryer what should I watch out gor do you think?

Probably best to watch you tube demonstrations particularly UK ones. I have a small kitchen so a large model was out of the question. Mine is an Air Fryer not a multi function Saute/steamer/dehydrator/AF. It is large enough to cook two chicken breasts side by side plus veg. It has a lift out trivet in the base although some have baskets which you can remove. Mine isn't heavy and fits under the kitchen cupboard when not in use. Hope this helps.

I've been thinking about buying an air fryer but having read this thread and being none the wiser I think I'll pass for the time being.

Yes. Thank you. Like everything, it's with use you often find out what's not so good.

I have to admit I assumed that the outside would be insulated so it hadn't occurred to me that I might need to protect the work surface!

Thank you everyone.

NotSpaghetti they are not all the same. Mine is roasting hot hence the covering of my worktop surface. I have no idea how hot the Ninjas become.

I took the plunge and after a lot of utube videos I bought an Instant Vortex mini.
Its light and compact and big enough for 1 or 2 people.
First thing I tried was large tomato cut in half, 3 minutes done to perfection, held its shape.
Only got it yesterday so early days but very happy with it.

Has anyone tried the cheese scones that are doing the internet rounds? The ones with no egg or butter?

I just made them in the Ninja and they worked, but they stuck to the rack. I thought that might happen, and wondered about using baking parchment, but that would stop the air flow, so I didn't. The end result tasted nice (I added finely chopped spring onions to the mix) but were a bit misshapen because of having to prise them off the rack half way through, and I think they sunk a bit as they were out of the oven for longer than they should have been at the turning stage.

They'd probably do better in the Tower one, or any other brand that has shelves instead of a pot.

PS It's not my recipe - it's a screenshot that is all over FB and Instagram - so I would (respectfully) like to distance myself from the spelling .

I did use Halogen Oven for some years (hinged top types). Very good for cooking BUT did take a large space on worktop. Also although they have a self-clean facility- this is only for the large glass bowl. With each model I found that over time the lid - around the heating element became quite dirty and defied all my effort to clean it. Gave up eventually, and when I moved to a smaller kitchen got rid of my last one.

I fairly recently purchased a small, basic, one drawer AF, and also a silicone liner for this. So, all foods go into that, and it is easily washed up and replaced after each cooking. I do sausages, chips, baked potatoes, chicken breasts/drums ticks, sausage rolls, etc happily in this. I eat quite a lot of fish - and find that something like my salmon fillets are much better cooked in a special dish in my microwave for under three minutes. With my compact AF have not had any problems, with external heat, either onto my granite worktops or under the wall cupboards.

This compact AF is slightly larger than a kettle, I do keep my often used gadgets on my worktop - ease of use is more important to me that trying to keep my kitchen pretending it is a showroom. So, along with this AF, I have slow cooker, toaster, electric egg boiler, soupmaker, and small chopper. (No kettle as I have a special hot water tap),

Do find that I use my main oven very little (usually when I am having people for a meal or cooking cakes), the induction hob is so very fast land efficient, I am not sure which is best (that or microwave), for cooking vegetables.

I tried something new in my air fryer last night and it was delicious. I bought a 500g smoked bacon loin joint in Lidl costing £3.50. I sliced it up into bacon steaks. I got 7 from it. Cooked to perfection at 180 degrees in 10 mins. Lovely tender meat just starting to crisp at the edges. I’ve frozen the rest of them.

That sounds good, GNW. Did you cook the whole joint for that time and then slice it, or freeze the leftovers raw?

No, I sliced up the entire uncooked joint Doodledog. I cooked some for dinner and portioned up the remaining thick raw slices and froze them. It was really tasty!

Thanks. My husband is vegetarian, so large amounts of meat would just go to waste, but I sometimes fancy some. I might copy your idea so I can just get out what I need for a quick lunch when he's out.

A basic tower 2.2 litre. I bought 2 different sizes of round aluminium cake pans from amazon. Today I almost filled the biggest one with sliced cooking apple and topped with crumble. Careful to cover as crumbs can blow all over. Covered with aluminium foil while the apple cooked. Foil off and the crumble went beautifully golden. Big success

I like the sound of that karmalady. How long did it take to cook?

I did the foil on top for 20 minutes and without foil for 15. I used less than full power for 20 minutes ie it took 1/5 of a kwh and about 1/4 of a kwh for the 15 minutes when I used full power. I took the foil off when the crumble looked set and would not be fly-away

It depends on how small you chop the apple and what type of apple. Mine was howgate wonder and cooks easily

Thank you karmalady. I’m going to try it.

wrt crumble topping. I always make that in bulk and store it in the freezer, ready to use

I am using frozen potatoes today, cooking in my AF now. Just left over potato part boiled, cooled and frozen. Thawed earlier, a couple of minutes in the microwave and then on kitchen roll to absorb a bit of liquid. Cut in chunks and a light spray, will be adding some part cooked veggie sausages shortly. Served with salad. I like easy food so I do a lot of prep for my large freezer

Pyrex or other other oven-proof dishes work just as well as metal ones. Charity shops usually have lots of pyrex stuff, and many of them have lids.

elegran, depends on the size of the inner and also metal has the good conductivity properties needed for quick cooking and cakes. The inner on mine is small and pyrex absolutely would not work. I also sourced some mini tins, excellent for small cakes

This is my largest tin

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00P9ANAR6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?psc=1&tag=gransnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

These are brilliant for eg mince pies. I make the tarts and freeze, then pop whatever into the AF to bake

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08DNNFWH5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?psc=1&tag=gransnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

Thanks everyone for this thread.. I bought an AF just the small Ninja as I hope it will do us
I found I was putting on my Range size oven for a mini Pizza for my little GS. Only had a few days but used for potatoes chicken twice and the little Pizza cooked in 6 mins.
Still experimenting so please continue to post Recipes and tips.
Thanks.

I’m not keen on tortilla wraps and always end up with a couple left in the pack I’ve bought in for my grandchildren. Now I love them too much after trying this with them.

Cut into small strips, give a light spray of olive oil and a few grinds of sea salt. Cooked in the air fryer for 90 seconds at 200c produces very tasty tortilla crisps. I can’t comment on how they taste cold. They are so tasty I eat them all while still warm!

I’ve done similar with potato skins. Also very tasty.

Good idea there Grannynannywanny. I bought some pre packed bacon chops from Morrisons but they were a bit thinner than I like them. I cooked one in my air fryer oven last night with some cauliflower cheese and it was nice, but a thicker one would have been nicer.

Greyduster last night I had a slice of the bacon loin joint I mentioned upthread. It was delicious. A small bacon loin joint intended for roasting or boiling. I cut it into thick raw slices and froze in portions. You can cut to your thickness preference. 10-12 mins and it’s cooked to perfection.